The present invention relates a motor integrated with a control unit and a motor for an electric power steering.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-204654 discloses an electric power steering having a motor. The electric power steering has a control unit attached to a side surface of a motor body. A drive control circuit in the control unit is electrically connected to the motor body. The motor body is a brushless motor having a resolver for detecting the rotational position of a rotor. The drive control circuit generates three phase drive current corresponding to the rotational position of the rotor based on a signal provided by the resolver. The drive current is supplied to drive coils of the corresponding phase, thus controlling rotation of the motor body.
To assemble the motor described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-204654, a terminal of the control unit is inserted into the interior of the motor body. The terminal of the control unit is then fixed to a terminal of the motor body using screws. Assembly of the motor is completed by closing a motor case. When the terminal is fixed by the screws, undesirable particles may be produced. If the motor case is closed with such particles caught therein, the particles may interfere with a rotating component in the motor body to prevent a rotor from rotating smoothly. This may cause vibration or noise in the motor body, thus hampering quiet operation.